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How long should my charcoal burn at 350 degrees?

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EggLuver
EggLuver Posts: 64
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I cooked wings the other day, but I had to do them in 3 batches because they wouldn’t all fit.

I was trying to cook them indirect at approximately 350 to 400 degrees. I started with the lump filled up to the top of the bowl. By the time I got about 15 minutes into the second batch, the temp started dropping to close to 250 and I realized I had almost no lump left.

I basically got about one hour or a little less of cooking time before the fire was gone. Is this normal? Shouldn’t I get a little longer cooking time than that at 350 degrees?
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Something doesn't sound right. Lump to the top of the fire box at 400°, you should get at minimum 4 to 10 hours of cooking on a Large Egg.

    Did you have a vertical burn, lump burned down the center to the bottom leaving unburned lump on the outside of the burn?

    GG
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Yep.Different brands of lump burn faster or slower.I can fill mine up and cook at 350 dome for SEVERAL hours.I use Ozark Oak.There are several good charcoals out there.Check out The Naked Whiz site.I think he has tested every brand there is. ;)
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  • EggLuver
    EggLuver Posts: 64
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    I used Cowboy charcoal, and I was getting very close to the bottom of the bag so there were a lot smaller pieces. That could have something to do with it, but shouldn't I have gotten more than an hour, even if they were small, if it was up to the top of the bowl (bottom of the ring)?
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  • EggLuver
    EggLuver Posts: 64
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    I thought the same thing. I am using a medium and not a large, so that would probably give me a little less burn time, right?

    But still, only an hour at between 350 and 400???
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Been several posts on here lately dissin Coyboy. :unsure: I've never used it.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I would think much longer than you got.

    GG
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Large or small is pretty ambiguous.

    I would understand if you had used the large pieces of cowboy. Those usually leave a lot of void space in the fire box.

    Smaller pieces usually are closer together and hence more fuel.

    Nevertheless, you should of easily had enough lump to complete your cook.

    For me cowboy seems to burn a little hotter and faster, but I always attributed that to the larger pieces and a lot of air space throughout the lump.

    GG
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  • SmokinParrotHead
    SmokinParrotHead Posts: 532
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    You could have been cooking higher than 350-400. Have you calibrated you thermo lately? I have found my Green Egg brand dome therm off by more than 60 degrees once. Coal and fire is somewhat like fuel and speed, there is a fine line between good mileage and **** mileage. It is possible you were cooking at around 500, and if you only filled it to the bottom of the fire ring.......then yes, maybe that is about right.
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  • EggLuver
    EggLuver Posts: 64
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    Thanks. I think you might be right. I'm not so sure my therm is working correctly. Do you have a suggestion of how to calibrate, or should I just get a new one?
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  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
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    Get a pot of water boiling,place the tip of he thermometer in the boiling water.It should read 212 F.There is a nut on the back.Use a 7/16 inch wrench to adjust it to 212!EASY PEASY! B)
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  • EggLuver
    EggLuver Posts: 64
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    THANKS!!
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  • SmokinParrotHead
    SmokinParrotHead Posts: 532
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    And best advice of all, use the boxed end of the wrench.....put it over the probe and nut to hold the therm tip in the boiling water....gives your hands a little more distance from that boiling steam.

    Second best, make SURE you are adjusting it with the probe still in the boiling water......or at least double and triple check it to make sure you set it right. Those things drop in temp rapidly when removed from heat sources.
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  • Laker
    Laker Posts: 110
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    For Christmas I did a ham. Cooked at 325-350 for over 8 hours and still had a small amount of lump left over. Used Royal Oak. I never have had much success with Cowboy, although they make many brands.
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
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    EggLuver, I feel Cowboy lump is a hotter burning lump that does not last long. My suggestion would be to try a better lump if you can get it like Royal Oak and fill you egg up with lump to the top of the fire-ring if you plan to cook for a long time.

    Here is how I calibrate my dome thermometer. Do not let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot. Set it and recheck. Then go on with your cooking. Hope this helps. Tim :)

    000_1267.jpg
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